Apparatus for producing ozone and separating gases.



H. DUMARS.

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING OZONE AND SEPARATING GASES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.26. 1913.

1,149,254. Patented Aug. 10,1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

Hllun...

H. DUMARS.

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING OZONE AND SEPARATING GASES.

APPLICATION FILED Aue.26. 1913.

,2 Patented Aug. 10, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- M/ZESSES: I MINI/Mm A ITOR/VE Y HORACE DUMARS, 0F GLENRIDGE, NEW JERSEY.

APPARATUS FOR IRODUCING OZONE AND SEPARATING GASES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 10, 1915.

Original application filed February 28. 1912, Serial No. 680,476.Divided and this application filed August To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HORACE DUMARS, a

citizen of the United States, and a resident The objects of theinvention will in part be set forth hereinafter and will in part beobvious herefrom to those skilled in the art without setting forth indetail.

The invention consists in the novel improvements, combinations,instrumentalities and apparatus herein shown and described.

This application is a division of my application Ser. No. 680, 176 filedFebruary 28, 1912, which has eventuated in Patent No.

The accompanying drawings, referred to herein and forming a part hereof,illustrate a device or apparatus constructed in accordance with theprinciples of the invention.

Of the drawings: Figure 1 is an elevation partly diagrammatic incharacter, of an apparatus embodying the principles of the invention;Fig. 2 is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, of what may betermed'for convenience the ozonizer proper or separator (shown infragmentary elevation at the lower right hand corner of Fig. 1).

Referring by way of example to the accompanying drawings, whichillustrate one embodiment of the invention, and pointing out the variousparts thereof by suitable reference. numerals, means are shown forcompressing air, said means being indicated generally by the referencenumeral 1. The engine is shown conventionally and designated as 2, whilethe compressor proper is designated as 3. A conduit 4 conducts away thecompressed air, and if desired a suitable storage receptacle 5 may beprovided for the compressed air. This receptacle 5 may be utilized alsoto remove a large part of the 26, 1913. Serial No. 786,695.

heat of compression by radiating it to the surrounding atmosphere, or,if desired, by having a cooling liquid supplied -to a surrounding jacketby suitable pipes 21 and 20.

Suitable drying means may also be provided, of convenient and approvedform, and I have indicated same conventionally at Ingress to the drieris controlled by a valve 7 and egress therefrom by a valve 8. A suitableby-pass valve 9 is shown in the conduit 10, which conduit serves toconvey the compressed air away from the storage receptacle 5. The drier6, as previously stated, may be of any adequate and approvedconstruction, and a carbon dioXid drier, acting to chill the air andthus reducing its vapor-bearing capacity, will usually be found suitableand adequate, although the particular form of drier used is immaterialso far as concerns many features of the invention.

According to one feature of the invention, a counter-cooler ortemperature exchanging means 11 is employed to reduce the temperature ofthe air, and in accordance with one feature of the invention this iseffectuated by running through one of the coils the nitrogen or one'ormore of the low tem perature gases, obtained from the air by or afterthe conversion of its oxygen into ozone, and the separation thereby ofthe gases. In the embodied form of apparatus, the lower portion of theconduit 10 opens into or com 'municates with a helically arranged pipe12 oflarger bore. Within this pipe 12 is arranged another helicallyarranged pipe 13 to which is supplied through a pipe 14, nitrogen orother liquid or gas at exceedingly low temperature. The pipe 1 Lcommunicates with the pipe 73 and receives therefrom the cold nitrogenas hereinafter explained.

In the illustrated apparatus, the now cooled and dry air, still underpressure,

emerges from the c0unter-cooler 11 into the conduit 15. The invention,in one of its aspects, provides means for reducing the air pressure tonormal-atmospheric pressure or but little above atmospheric pressure,and for carrying it through the ozonizer or separating device. Thevarious compressing,

drying and cooling agencies or instrumentalities are so arranged andregulated that at a temperature below the liquefying temthe air will bedelivered to the ozonizer thoroughly dry and at sufficient pressure tocarry it through the ozonizer, and it will be perature of ozone andabove the liquefying temperature of oxygen and nitrogen.

In the embodied form ofapparatus the pressure reducing instrumentalityillustratedfcomprises an expansion engine 16, the expanded air, muchreduced intemperature by its expansion, passes through a conduit 17 intothe ozonizer to have the oxygen of the air converted into ozone andliquefied. Certain of the atmospheric gases can be removed in anysuitable manner, as by reducing the temperature of the air below theliquefying point. for such gases before the air enters the ozonizer, asfor instance having an upper section 31 into which the:

cold dry air from the conduit '17 isdischarged and directed toward theozonizing devices. The section 32 is shown carrying the ozonizingdevices, which will be later described in detail. The two sections 31and 32 are connected by an airtight joint 33' which may be of suitableresilient and acid-resistant material. The section 34 of the ozonizerconstitutes in the a present embodiment the bottom portion into whichthe liquefied ozone is received, and also the other gases of theatmosphere are collected therein, and are then carried away therefrom.The parts'32'an d 34 are united by a tight joint 38 which may begenerally similar to 33. To more thoroughly and perfectly seal thedevice against air leakage and temperature changes, an additional jacketof impervious and preferably non- Y conducting material 37 is placedabout the joints 33 and 38.

' The ozonizer is of non-conducting material and construction, and mayconsist of inner and outer casings 35 and 36 which may be of wood,porcelain or other suitable material, and .such material may haveprotective facings on the interior of the ozon- .izer wherever needed.Between said casings may be a suitable non-conducting material of anyapproved kind, such as felt' or other non-conducting material.

. The ozonizers are preferably arranged in rows or series. in suitable.heads or mountings 50 and 51 carried by the section 32.0f

the casing. One such row of ozonizers is shown in longitudinal sectionin Fig. 2 of the drawings, and the arrangement and construction of theozonizers will be understood from a description of one of saidozonizers.

The embodied form of ozonizer is preferably of tubular form andcomprises a series of pairs of nesting, or inclosed and inclosing tubes,as will now be described in detail. For convenience in description, thetubes outside of the air passage maybe termed outside tubes and thoseinside the air passage inside tubes.

Means are provided for protecting the electrodes from action by thegases. In the embodied form of such means thefoutside tubes are shown ofdouble form, the electrode, or current or charge carrying surface beinginclosed or protected from the action of the gases, some of which mightprove highly detrimental or destructive. As embodied, a cylinder ofglass or other suitable dielectric material 40 is provided, and on theexterior surface thereof a coating of charge carrying material 41, suchas a coating of foil or finely comminuted conducting metal held by asuitablebinder and drier.

The tube or cylinder 40 is inclosed by a cylinder 42, their edgesabutting or joining together to hermetically seal the intervening space,and the coating 41 contained-therein.

The inside tubes 43, likewise of suitable dielectric material, carry ontheir inside a coating 44 of charge or current accumulating material,such as has already been described in connection with the outside tubes.

A second inner tube 45 is likewise provided,

with its edges abutting with the inside tube 43 to hermetically seal theinclosed coating 44 to protect it from the'destructive action of thegases.

The outer tubes are mounted in openings in the heads 50 and 51, and maybe held in position by rings or gaskets 52 and 53 of resilient materialwhich serves to hold them firmly in position and to make a tight joint.

or other suitable material, said members having their lower edgesresting against the. inner wall of the outside tube and receiving thelower edge of the inside tube upon shoulders formed in said members Saidmemhers-hold therespective outside and inside tubes spaced away fromeach otherto give the requisite air passage between the inside andoutside tubes. The. outer coatings 41 are connected by a wire 55 to atrunk or bus wire 56. The inner coatings are connected by a wire 57 tothe trunk or bus wire 58. These wires 56 and 58 are shown leading to atransformer 59, which is supplied with current from a suitable'source ofenergy. Meansare provided fordirecting or causing the air to passbetween the inside and out- The inner tubes are supported upon holdingand spacing members 54 of fiber Ill? rzo

The manner of operation of the apparatus described and illustrated issubstantially as follows: Said apparatus is employed to reduce air to atemperature lower than that at which ozone liquefies, and at suchtemperature to change the oxygen of the air into ozone, and owing to thefact that the temperature is below the liquefying temperature of ozoneat the pressure prevailing, the ozone at once changes to the liquidstate as soon as it is produced, which process is described in myapplication Ser. No. 680,476, hereinbefore referred t0. I preferablyproduce the ozone at ordinary atmospheric pressure,

the temperature being maintained at a pointbelow the liquefying point(that is, the temperature at which it changes from gaseous to liquidform) for the ozone but above the liquefying point for either oxygen ornitrogen. The liquefying temperature, or point of liquefaction of ozoneat atmospheric pressure is approximately 106 C., while oxygen liquetiesat approximately 170 C, and nitrogen liquefies at approximately 106 C.Preferably the temperature is kept as far as practicable above theliquefying temperature of the oxygen, and the nitrogen is flowed off andutilized for the cooling and afterward utilized for other purposes. Thecompresser 1 compresses the air, which is conveyed by the conduit to thestorage tank 5, where it receives its preliminary cooling. The nowpartially cooled air passes along the conduit 10 and through the drier 6where its moisture is extracted. It then passes through thecounter-cooler 11 where its temperature is greatly reduced, and thenthrough conduit 15 passes on to the expanding means such as the engine16. It is here expanded to substantially atmospheric pressure again andis consequently greatly reduced in temperature, and is brought to apredetermined temperature, or approximately so, which temperature isbelow the liquefaction point of ozone, and above the liquefaction pointof oxygen and of nitrogen. The air passes through the conduit 17 intothe upper portion of the ozonizer 30, as indicated by the small arrowsin Fig. 2. The air then passes through the ozonizers where the oxygen isconverted into ozone and the ozone is changed into liquid form.

It will be understood with reference to the ozonizers that the coatings11 and H are under a high difference of potential, and there isconsequently an electrical efliuence, or a field of such efiiuencebetween the opposite surfaces of the dielectrics, that is, the

walls of the inside and outside tubes, and

Fig. 2. By reason of the temperature, the ozone, when formed by theaction of the electrical efiiuence on the oxygen of the air, is changedinto liquid form. as already described.

Means are provided whereby the liquefied ozone is collected and carriedaway, and the nitrogen and certain other gases of the air, being stillin gaseous form, are gathered and separately conveyed away. In thepresent or embodied form of apparatus there is pro-' vided at the upperend of the part 31 of the ozonizer 30 a pan or receptacle 65 of vitreousor other acid-resistant material in which the liquid ozone (indicated byw in. Fig. 2) is gathered. The liquid ozone is conveyed away through apipe 66, which pipe may be trapped as shown at 67, to a chamber 68 inthe lower part of 31. This chamber will likewise be lined with vitreousor other acidresistant material. Should there be any gasifying of theozone in the chamber 68, it may be conveyed away through the pipe 70,and thereby avoid back pressure in the chamber 68 and possiblyinterference with the working of the apparatus. The nitrogen and certainother gases are separated or conveyed away from the receptacle 65through a pipe 71. The pipe 71 is shown extending into a coil 72occupying a large portion of the chamber 68, and acting to keep theliquid ozone in said chamber cool. The coil 72 communicates with a pipe73 for conveying away the cold gases. These gases are used in thecounter-cooler 11, and for this purpose the pipe 73 communicates withthe pipe ll. The nitrogen and other separated gases may be disposed ofin any suitable or desirable manner, and in the illustrated apparatus acollecting chamber 7- is provided from which the gases may be drawn asdesired, exit of the gas being controlled by a valve 75.

Should it be desirable to remove certain or any of the gasesconstituting the air prior to the ozonizing of the oxygen, this may bedone in any suitable manner as found convenient or expedient. It will beunderstood from the foregoing that the gases of the air in passingthrough and in being operated upon by the apparatus have been separatedfrom each other by liquefying one gas and retaining another in gaseousform, and C0l1- ducting apart and thus separating said gas and liquid.Further, it will be understood that with respect to the liquefied gasits change to the liquid state has been effected by electrical actionupon the air currents, and more particularly by electrical efiluence.Also, it will be noted that one of the gases of the air was subjected toa change in its molecular constitution, that is, the atomicity of itsmolecule was changed, and in the particular instance this occurred inthe case of the liquefied gas; also, a great change in the temperatureof liquefaction was effected by the change in the molecular constitutionof the gas, that is, by the change from oxygen (O to ozone (O and thedifferent gases conducted away fromeach other and the action or processcontinued as the air flows i through the devices and the separatedproducts are conducted away.

Other advantages will be obvious from that variations may bemade fromthe steps and apparatus shown and described within "the scope of theaccompanying claims.

" eluding 1n comblnatlon means for reducing i What I do claim as myinvention and 'de-.

ire to secure by Letters lfatent', is: i v

1. An apparatus of the kind described in the temperature of air belowthe liquefying temperature for ozone, and an electrical effluencedevice, means for flowing said air through said device, and means forseparately collecting the liquefied ozone'and the gaseous nitrogen.

I 2. An apparatus of the kind described including in combination meansfor reducing the temperature of air below the liquefyingtemperature forozone, an electrical eflluence device, means for flowing said airthrough said device, means for separately collecting theliquefied ozoneand the gaseous nitrogen, and means for utilizing said separatednitrogen in reducing the temperature of said air current.

3. An apparatus of the kind described including in combination means forreducing the temperature of air below the liquefying temperature forozone, means for drying the air, an electrical eflluence device, meansfor flowing said air through said device, and means for separatelycollecting the liquefied ozone and the gaseous-nitrogen. 4. An apparatusof the kind described including in c ombination means for reducing thetemperature of air below the liquefying temperature for ozone, anelectrical eflluence device, means for flowing said air through saiddevice, means for separately collecting the liquefied ozone and thegaseous nitrogen, and means for utilizing said separated nitrogen inkeeping the liquid ozone cold.

5. An apparatus of the kind described, including in combination meansfor reducing the temperature .of air below the liquefying temperaturefor ozone, an electrical efliuence devlce, means for flowing said airthrough sald device, means for separately collecting the liquefied ozoneand the gaseous nitro- .gen, means for utilizing said separated nitrogenin keeping the liquid ozone cold, and means for utilizing said separatednitrogen in reducing the temperature of said air current.

6. An apparatus of the kind described in- I cluding in combination meansfor reducing the temperature of air below the liquefying temperature forozone, means for drying.

the air, an electrical efliuence device, means for flowing said airthrough said device,'

and means for separately collecting the liquefied ozone and the gaseousnitrogen,

means for utilizing said separated nitrogen in keeping the liquid ozonecold, and means for utilizing said separated nitrogen in reducing thetemperature of said air current. 1 7. An apparatus of the kind describedin cluding in combination means for reducing the temperature of airbelow the-liquefying temperature for ozone, and a plurality ofelectrical eflluence devices, means for flowing said air through saidplurality of devices, and means for separately collecting the liquefiedozone and the gaseous nitrogen.

8. An apparatus of the kind described including in combination means forreducing the temperature of air below the liquefying temperature ofozone, an electrical eflluence device comprising a charge accumulatingcoating, means for flowing said air through,

ozone and gaseous nitrogen, said reducing means including an electricalefliuence device, and means for utilizing the gaseous nitrogen to keepcold the liquid ozone.

10.- An apparatus of the kind described including in combination'meansfor reducing air to a temperature below the liquefying point of ozone,electrical eifluence means,

means for flowing said air in thin streams.

through said field of electrical efliuence, and means for separating theliquid ozone and the gaseous nitrogen.

11. An apparatus of thekind described including in combination means forreducing the-temperature of air below the lique- I fying temperature forozone, an electrical eflluence-device, means for flowing said airvthrough said device, a closed chamber in which the liquid ozoneiiscollected, and a coil within said chamber through which the gaseousnitrogen flows.

12. An apparatus of the kind described including in combinationelectrical efliuence means, means for directing air through thefield ofeffluence at substantially normal at-.

mospheric pressure and at a temperature below the liquefying'temperatureof ozone and above the. liquefying temperature of oxygen and means forseparating the liquid ozone and gaseous nitrogen.

13. An apparatus of the kind described including in combinationelectrical efliuencemeans, including devices, for separating the airinto thin streams, means for directing air through the field ofefliuence at substantially normal atmospheric pressure and at atemperature below the liquefying temperature of ozone and above theliquefying temperature of oxygen and means for separating the liquidozone and gaseous nitrogen.

H. An apparatus of the kind described including in combination a closedchamber, electrical efiluence devices therein, means for supplying acurrent of air to said devices at a temperature below the liquefyingpoint of ozone and above the liquefying point of nitrogen, and means forcollecting the liquid ozone, and means for collecting and conductingaway the gaseous nitrogen.

15. An apparatus of the kind described including in combination a closedchamber, electrical etlluence devices therein, means for supplying acurrent of air to said devices at a temperature below the liquefyingpoint of ozone and above the liquefying point of nitrogen, and areceptacle for the liquid ozone and a coil for conveying away the liquidnitrogen through said receptacle.

16. An apparatus for producing liquid ozone which comprises means forcompressing air, means for cooling compressed air,

means for expanding the compressed cooled air below the liquefyingtemperature of ozone, means for subjecting the cooled and expanded airto the action of electrical cifiuence, and means for collecting theliquid ozone.

17. An apparatus for producing liquid ozone which comprises means forcompressing air, means for cooling compressed air, means for expandingthe compressed air below the liquet'ying temperature of ozone, means forsubjecting the cooled and expanded air to the action of electricaleffluence, means for collecting the liquid ozone, and means forcollecting the gaseous nitrogen.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HORACE DUMARS.

Witnesses:

J I-IN D. MORGAN, Ross MENK.

